Coleraine actress Waugh would ‘consider’ playing Hazel Stewart

HEADING FOR HOLLYOAKS...Coleraine actress Bronagh Waugh. CR5 257s

Published:07:00Tuesday 30 December 2014

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As speculation mounts that a film is to be made telling the story of how Ballymoney dentist Colin Howell and his lover, Coleraine mother of two, Hazel Stewart covered up two murders, this week Coleraine actress Bronagh Waugh has said she would ‘consider’ playing Stewart.

Her comments come just a few weeks after anbother local actor, James Nesbitt, is said to have expressed an interest in portraying Baptist lay preacher Colin Howell.

Since Howell and Stewart were jailed, there’s been intense speculation that a film or TV drama would be made.

Earlier this month veteran journalist Deric Henderson, who penned bestselling book ‘Let This Be Our Secret’ about the Castlerock murders, met with TV bosses to discuss the idea.

Waugh, who attended Millburn Primary School before moving abroad with her family said: “I haven’t been approached, but I have heard about the plans and thought, ‘Oh I’m from Coleraine, I’m an actress so...And the story certainly interests me.

“I haven’t been approached but if I was I would certainly like to talk about it and would definitely consider it.”

Both Howell and former mistress Stewart are now serving life sentences for the murders of their respective spouses Lesley Howell, 31, and Trevor Buchanan, 32, back in May 1991.

Howell gassed his wife and the RUC husband of his mistress and made it look like they died in a suicide pact at a cottage in Castlerock after they had discovered their partners were having an affair.

The pair’s cruel deception fooled police, but 19 years later, Howell walked into a police station and confessed to the murders, naming Hazel as his accomplice.